Archive for Awards

WILKES-BARRE (May 6, 2016) – The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce announced Teri Ooms will be honored at its Extraordinary People Inspiring Community (EPIC) Awards with the Innovator of the Year award. Sponsored by Wells Fargo, the EPIC Awards will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Public Square, Wilkes-Barre.

Ooms is Executive Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Economic Development, a position she has held since its formation in 2004. Under her direction, The Institute has completed more than 100 client and community based studies. These studies have resulted in new jobs, new programs, sustained initiatives, and new legislation throughout Pennsylvania and in New York.

“Teri has worked closely with the team that recently launched the Wilkes-Barre Connect initiative. This program is innovation in itself. The purpose of the program is to foster the entrepreneurial spirit in the region and increase business and job creation, retention, expansion, and attraction,” wrote nominator Nimita Patel, a research assistant at the Institute. “If an innovator is indeed a person who introduces new methods, ideas, or products – Teri Ooms is an innovator to the core.”

“Innovation is one part a passionate idea and one part science, Teri Ooms embodies both. Her work at the Institute is data driven and adheres to lean principles and infrastructure. At the same time she is naturally curious and entrepreneurial. Her ability to create a data driven innovation environment that breeds and builds innovation momentum makes Teri the ideal recipient of the Innovator of the Year Award,” added Chamber CEO Wico van Genderen.

Ooms joins already announced honorees Volunteer of the Year Kathi Bankes and ATHENA Honoree Patrice Persico.

Information about the event, including sponsorship and commemorative program book advertising is available by calling 570-823-2101 ext. 724 and visiting http://epic.wilkes-barre.org.

WILKES-BARRE (May 6, 2016) – The Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce announced Kathi Bankes will be honored at its Extraordinary People Inspiring Community (EPIC) Awards with the Volunteer of the Year award. Sponsored by Wells Fargo, the EPIC Awards will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts, Public Square, Wilkes-Barre.

“Not only does Kathi dedicate much of her own time to volunteer for multiple community causes,” said nominator Maureen Metz, “Her enthusiasm consistently inspires others to do the same. Her involvement with the American Red Cross, Greater Wilkes-Barre Association for the Blind, American Heart Association, the Chamber’s Women’s Network, and numerous other organizations she has helped over the years is truly remarkable.”

“Because of her many efforts, Kathi has earned the respect and gratitude of those for whom and with whom she serves. She is known for her outgoing and friendly manner, intelligence, work ethic, positive attitude, teamwork mentality, and commitment. Providing the building blocks for numerous nonprofits is a natural for her,” wrote co-nominator Bobbie Steever of TFP Limited in a letter of support.

“Kathi is driven to meet and exceed expectations with any challenge she is given. It is this work ethic paired with her passion for community that so many organizations in our region are better because of,” added Chamber CEO Wico van Genderen.

Bankes joins already announced honorees Teri Ooms, Innovator of the Year and Patrice Persico, ATHENA Honoree.

Information about the event, including sponsorship and commemorative program book advertising is available by calling 570-823-2101 ext. 724 and visiting http://epic.wilkes-barre.org.

WILKES-BARRE — A Wilkes-Barre-based technology company received the Small Business of the Year Award on Wednesday night at an event that showcased the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber’s upgraded website and use of social media.

Dennis Cook of Lightspeed Technologies, 2014 Small Business of the Year

Dennis Cook of Lightspeed Technologies accepted the award at the chamber’s 130th annual dinner, attended by nearly 600 people at Best Western Genetti Hotel and Conference Center. PNC Bank sponsored the award.

Founded in 1997, Cook said Lightspeed Technologies’ professionals work behind the scenes to build network infrastructures that support companies’ day-to-day operations. The company operates 24-7.

“Today, Lightspeed continues to provide local people with high-tech jobs in our hometown,” Cook said. “Our team is comprised of many bright young people with families who are committed to their communities.”

John Metz Sr. and the Metz family were the recipients of the Distinguished Citizen Award, sponsored by Luzerne Bank.

Metz’s entrepreneurial spirit led to the opening of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s only Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Pennsylvania’s first Wolfgang Puck Express at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs casino in Plains Township as well as T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants along the east coast and several Krispy Kreme locations.

“Everything we do is about our people and our partner clients,” Metz said. “What really makes us special is our people.”

Wico van Genderen, chamber president and chief executive officer, praised Metz and the culinary management empire he and his family built that operates from Maine to Florida.

“It’s an amazing story,” van Genderen said. “It’s the 18th largest culinary management organization in this country, located right here.”

Van Genderen also recognized Lightspeed Technologies, saying, “That’s a very smart team of individuals.”

“What they do is really cool in taking technology and making it an enabling tool and taking that technology and accelerating it for businesses today,” he said.

People who attended Wednesday night’s event were encouraged to check out the chamber’s upgraded website at www.wilkes-barre.org and social media sites. They also were asked tweet their experiences and photos with the hashtag #GWBCCC, representing the dinner’s title, “Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber Click Connect.”

Van Genderen also displayed a video highlighting the greater Wilkes-Barre area as a great place to live, work and experience and asked others to share it. The video can be found at youtube.com/wbchamber.

“This is a fabulous place we all live in,” he said. “We all need to be really proud of that because it’s really an amazing place.”